William jones rhees



@with gisten @einer @ffies WILLIAM JONES RHEES, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRlCTOF COLUMBIA.v

Laim Patent No. 61,253, and January 1 5, 1867.

FRAME POR ARTIFICIAL SLATES.

VTO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONOERN:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM Jones Rimes, of Washington city, District ofColumbia, have invented 'a new and 'useful improvement in Frames for'Slates and attachments; and I do hereby declare that the following is ai'ulland exact description thereof, reference being had to4 theaccompanying drawings'andto the let-'ters of reference marked thereon.In

Figure 1 in said drawings, A represents a slate or sheet of argillaceousstone, porcelain, ivory, Wood, Etc., within a wooden4 frame, B, with myslide ruler C thereon, and the lines and figures on the frame for agauge.

Figure 2 shows the slide ruler C partly removed; and

Figure 3, the same, whollyl removed, exhibiting a recess or depression,D, beneath the same, to serve as a receptacle for slate or leadpeucils,v&c., E, 'and whichY may'also be prepared for pencil sharpening.In

Figure 4, the recess or depression D,'to be usedvas a pencil holder andSharpener, is shown in the edge of a slate frame.

Figure 5`shows the ruler or gauge C removed from the frame. Y p

Figure 9 is an enlarged section across the middle of the frame B, iig.3, to show the groove in which the ruler or lid C slides, and the recessor hollow D, whichconstitutes the pencil holder and Sharpener).v V

Figure 11 is a longitudinal section of the frame B, showing thedepression or receptacle D, the surface of the latter being coveredwitlra suitablel rough material for pencil sharpening. i

The name slate is universally applied to the article used in schools andelsewhere for frequent writing and erasure, whether such articles aremade of argillaceous material, of ivory, of porcelain, oi' metal, ofprepared paper, wood, or other substance. The present invention consistsincertain improvements in the frames of all such slates, whereby economyand convenience are secured andimportant advantages are obtained, asshall be hereinafter described.

To enable others skilled in the arts to make and use my invention, Iwill proceed-to describe the same.

In slates of rigid and brittle materials, as stone, porcelain, andivory, it is impracticable to make hollow frames, by turning the edgesthereof, and hence wooden or other frames are madeto surround saidslates, and I form receptacles in such frames by mortilsing,sawing,bcring, or cutting grooves in them, or otherwise making hollowsor recesses (D, igs. 2, 3, 4) in which t deposit a pencil, pen, rubber,knife, le, tc. In the bottom or sides of said grooves o1' hollows, or ofone of them in each frame, which may be in the side of the frame, (figs.'2 a\nd'3,) or the edge thereof, (5g. 4,) I arrange a pencil Sharpener,iig. 11, D, either by inserting and attaching thereto a piece of sandpaper, glass paper, emery paper, or cloth, or coating the material ofthe frame' with glue orits equivalent for the purpose, and then coveringthe same with sand, emery, powdered glass or stone, or. other suitablematerial; or a solid metal, asa le or other Sharpener, may be insertedand i'ixed therein. The hollow D, formed asv described, and to be usedas a' receptacle for pencils, tc., is then to be protected by a-suitablecovering, (C, figs. 1, 2, 5,) which should preferably slide over thisconcavity, and be made ilush with the surface of the frame. This slide,C, should be made of hard Wood, metal, gutta percha, or other hardsubstance, or be sfo fortified as to retain a good edge and perfectstraightness, in order that it may serve the purpose of` a ruler inldrawing straight lines. The edges of the slide O should have such ashape as to correspond with or it into the sides of the groove in theframe, so as to allow it to be moved in said groove when pressed withthe fingers,

and yet to retain its place, either by friction or by a spring or othermechanical contrivance. This slide C may also have engraved or otherwisemarked upon it, on one or bothsides, cross lines and igures or othercharacters indicating measures of length. On one or more sides or partsofthe frame B, I also propose to indicate measures of length by marks,indentations, figures, tc., such marks being used in connection with theruler C in drawingstraight lines across the slate. These marks will alsobe of -use in training the eye of a child to make straiglrt lines, evenwithout applyingethe ruler, and will enable it to acquire a quick andready perception rof' measures of length. What is usually denominated ablack-board is in every respect a slate constructed'on an extendedscale, whether made of wood, slate, metal, or any of the materials usedfor the purpose;

and it is manifest that a black-board Ato which-the devices hereinapply, fallsfstrictly Within the scope of my invention and claim. Itwill thus be seen that, by my invention or improvement, great advantagesare secured to all who use the ordinary slate, by' the provision I`havemade for combining with said slate a pencil depository,

a ruler,

a gauge, a pencil-Sharpener, and a slate-cleaner, Without increasing thesize or weight of the slate or adding materially to its cost.' Themachinery or implements lnecessary to apply my improvements are of asimple character, most ci: them, if not all, now being in use inmechanical establishments. Olaz'm.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, is

1.F The combination .of a hollow in' a slate frame, to be used as a.receptacle for pencils, sharpeners, and other utensils, with a suitablecovering constituting a ruler'and gauge, substantially as described.-

2. Marking upon said ruler so arranged measures of length, substantiallyas shown and described.

3. Marking upon the frame of a slatemeasures of length, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name,'this twenty-secondday of October, A. D. 1866.

WM. J. EHEES.

Witnesses OCTAVIUS KNIGHT, ALEXR A. C. KLAUCKE.

